I Love You Most
by Contra Popular Fides
Summary: A Pride and Prejudice oneshot from an international perspective.


William Darcy never really understood her perspective on life.

But now he does.

Life is short. Live it to its fullest, full of joy and beauty, love and laughter. Her attitude about everything was cheerful, full of treasuring memories and living out every single day with no regrets.

He never understood why.

But now he does.

_Love you, Lizzie Bennet._

* * *

He remembers the day that he first met her.

He'd just moved from the US, and was completely lost in the swarm of new faces and cultures. The heat was unbearable, and the air-con was too strong in the theater where they had gathered.

Lizzie was a Student Buddy for freshman orientation.

She'd smiled at him and asked him where he was from.

He'd responded in one-word form.

He only appreciated her cheerful acceptance of his churlish answers much later.

* * *

Lizzie Bennet soon met up with him again.

His popular friend Charlie was dating her popular sister, Janie.

On Charlie and Janie's first date, they dragged their respective friend and sister along to cut the awkward silences.

The respective friend and sister were silence-creating awkward second wheelers. They didn't create silence between Charlie and Janie, of course. Just between them.

Then, she decided to break the ice.

_I'm never going to let Janie drag me into a date again. _

He chuckled, and she thought he looked adorable when he chuckled.

_Maybe I'll stick with Charlie. Free lunch for a month is pretty awesome. And you're better company than Caroline. _

Lizzie had laughed at his shocked expression and inwardly agreed with his comment.

_No verbal filter?_

William blushed—_aw,_ Lizzie thought.

_Caroline Bingley doesn't deserve my verbal filter. With no offense to Charlie of course. _

Lizzie smirked.

_Yeah. But maybe we should stop trashing Caroline in front of Charlie, you know? Free lunch and all that. Man, you got a nice deal from Charlie. I should make Janie buy me lunch. _

William looked puzzled.

_Isn't that what sisters always do? My sister's nine, and she makes me buy her lunch and toys. _

Lizzie had laughed aloud then.

_Guilty as charged_.

They had left the date with a newfound friendship.

* * *

Then, he had just about ruined their entire friendship.

Charlie, _the insensitive matchmaker,_ had to try to talk to Darcy about dating Lizzie.

William shut him down, but not before soundly insulting Lizzie.

She heard every word.

* * *

Lizzie still remembers that day.

She hadn't been surprised that he insulted her looks.

She was surprised that he didn't make fun of her intelligence.

The look on William's face when she strode past him and Charlie a second later _almost, almost_ made up for the hurt.

* * *

William found her during one of their MUN sessions and apologized profusely.

She forgave him.

* * *

They become closer friends on a trip outside of the country. She manages to unknowingly insult him there, but can't find a right time to apologize.

William knows she doesn't mean it.

* * *

They grow closer during their first two years of high school, and are practically inseparable. Lizzie remembers one instance, where Caroline tries to act cute towards a teacher.

Lizzie and William shut her down.

* * *

Rumors abound in the hallways about Lizzie and William and whether or not they're dating.

William shuts them down.

Lizzie doesn't say anything.

* * *

He still remembers the day when he found out she was moving.

It was nearing the end of the year, when the air turned muggy and tempers grew short. He happened to pass Nicole and Cassia in the hallways, sleeveless and bored, listing off moving people.

Lizzie's name was mentioned.

* * *

He emailed her on school Gmail—_he never emails, only chats with people on his personal email, and Lizzie is normally always online_—and demanded to know if she was leaving.

Her school Gmail account had been deleted.

* * *

He realizes then how important Lizzie Bennet is to his life.

* * *

She looks breathtaking at prom with contacts, and no glasses. Of course she has no date—no one has ever asked her to a dance and no one from this school probably will.

William thinks she's too good for them.

He spends half of the evening staring at her from his "Golden Boy" spot. She's sitting at her table, playing cards with some best friends—_always all boys, _William observes—and eating the delicious, delicious, food.

Then her girlfriends drag her out to the dance floor. He has to hide his laugh when he sees her look of doom. But then she gives a little half-shrug, and starts moving to the beat.  
She's not even half-good, what with her rather petite build—_according to Lizzie, five-ten was her goal height, but she only made it to five-six_—she's only jumping up and down and moving to the music with pretty wacky moves.

William still finds her adorable. That's Lizzie Bennet out there.

She escapes from the dance floor back to her game of cards. The boys glance up long enough to comment on her _ever so graceful _dance moves. She raises three fingers and tells them to "_read between the lines!_", but a smile graces her eyes.

Why doesn't she look at him that way?

* * *

Across the room, Lizzie Bennet is melancholy. The point of prom was to have a final throwdown with her best friends before she graduated early. Her definition of fun is not having her best friend_—_crush, actually, though she'll never admit it_—_sit solitary across the room from her across the dazzling decorations and displays of food.

There's no one to dance with, since she's going to prom stag. And even if she was going with someone, she can't dance. Then again, no one has ever asked. She's always been the academically focused girl.

Her staring friend from across the room isn't helping her mood either.

Oh no, don't get her wrong. She isn't mad at him. She's just scared that he'll judge anything she says, or make fun of something she says. Either way, she tells herself she doesn't care what he thinks.

She tells herself that she doesn't hope that he'll ask her to dance.

After all, denial is a river in Egypt.

She thinks she's a hypocrite.

* * *

William thinks she looks beautiful.

Her blue dress is out of the ordinary, but then again, when has she ever conformed?

He just wishes he was brave enough to ask her to dance.

* * *

Lizzie sighs.

She feels pretty tonight—for once. Her makeup is done up in just the right way, with no eye makeup of any kind and only little bits of lipstick. Her short navy blue lace cocktail dress is just the way she likes it—unique and non-conforming, but still proper enough for prom.

Her mother pestered her perpetually with _"Lizzie, why would you choose a short dress for prom?_"

Why not? She liked it.

Janie could wear the long prom dress—she had the height to pull it off.

But not Lizzie. Five-six just isn't tall enough.

* * *

Wickham notices the glances his two best friends are continuously shooting each other.

_Dammit, Lizzie. Just go talk to your man and then start playing a good game of cards._

* * *

Lizzie thinks Wickham's being ridiculous.

_Her_ _man_? _More_ _like_ _Caroline's_ _man_.

Wickham thinks Lizzie and Caroline are both being delusional.

* * *

Charlie stops staring into Janie's eyes long enough to notice William and Lizzie.

_Dance with Lizzie, Will._

Janie giggles when she catches where Charlie is looking.

_Why don't you go make William dance with Lizzie?_

Charlie smiles, and then, his mouth drops open.

Janie stares too.

* * *

_Will you dance with me, Lizzie?_

* * *

She accepts.

* * *

They keep in constant touch and Skype, but he doesn't see her again until Charlie and Janie's wedding, seven years later.

She's not married, and neither is he.

* * *

Four years later, Lizzie Bennet walks down the aisle nervously, supported by her father, who gives her away with a weak smile.

_I do. _


End file.
